The viral "Motorboat for Breast Cancer" video that takes advantage of women
- I worry that videos like this will spawn copy-cat videos. That for every million that watch, there will be a couple of hundred thousand that think that sexual objectification is OK as long as you justify it with a cause.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UF2kZqiROA4#t=249
The "No Bra Day" that sexualizes women
- Are you kidding me? How on earth could a day where girls and women are encouraged to post and share photos of their braless breasts and to walk around with their nipples poking through their shirts be “supportive” for women who are living with or who have died from breast cancer, or who have managed to ‘complete’ the arduous treatments and disfiguring surgeries required to put them into remission?
The pink excuse that companies use to gather people's support every October, a.k.a. 'Pinktober'
Ironically, breast cancer survivors are not amused with Pinktober. In fact, they are disappointed with it.
- "I am not a ranter by any means and I have been pretty quiet about “Pinktober” and what has come to be known as “Pinkwashing” in breast cancer circles, but seeing October 13th advertised as “National No Bra Day” and as a “fun” way to support people with breast cancer has pushed me over the edge," writes the blog Cancer In My Thirties.
- A popular gripe among advocates is that too much is spent on awareness campaigns — walks, races, rallies — at the expense of research.
They call it "Pink Washing", where businesses misuse the trend as a business opportunity, rather than a cause
- What the people behind that campaign and this video are missing is that it's not about "saving boobies"- it's about saving the women behind the "boobies".
- Breast Cancer Action coined the term pinkwashing as part of our Think Before You Pink® campaign. Pinkwasher: (pink’-wah-sher) noun. A company or organization that claims to care about breast cancer by promoting a pink ribbon product, but at the same time produces, manufactures and/or sells products that are linked to the disease.
- Pinkwashing or Pinkwashers are businesses that purposely misuse pink ribbon marketing to promote products and/or services that provide little or no benefit to breast cancer causes.
Companies are misusing the colour Pink and people's desire to help as part of their marketing gimmicks
- Any company can put a pink ribbon on its products. The widely recognized pink ribbon symbol is not regulated by any agency and does not necessarily mean it effectively combats the breast cancer epidemic.
- Dr. Samantha King's seminal book, Pink Ribbons, Inc. documented how companies exploit women's fears of breast cancer and everyone's desire to help do something about it, making it a gazillion dollar industry -- not really for helping women, but for companies' profits.
Companies use the ribbon to drive sales, but they make more profit than they do donate
- Some companies use the ribbon to drive up sales but don’t actually donate any money to research because they say that having people simply wear their products helps raise awareness. Anyone can put a ribbon that’s pink on anything, whether they donate to breast cancer research or not.
- Some companies that indicate that a portion of the proceeds from the sale of a particular pink ribbon product will go to support breast cancer programs put an arbitrary “cap” on their maximum donation. Once the maximum amount has been met, the company may continue to sell the product with the pink ribbon without alerting customers that no additional funds will be donated to breast cancer organizations.
- This means you may be buying a product for which none of your purchase price will go to a breast cancer cause but only to the bottom line of the company.
And then there's the contradicting cancer-causing cancer-awareness products
- Many companies have sold pink ribbon products that are linked to increased risk of breast cancer.
- Take Chevy, the auto company. Racecar driver Danica Patrick recently appeared on Fox & Friends to promote breast cancer awareness. Clad in bright pink Chevy gear, she proudly shows off a pink Chevy pace car. However, as Karuna Jaggar, executive director of the nonprofit watchdog Breast Cancer Action noted, studies suggest there’s evidence that exhaust from cars might actually increase the chances of getting cancer.
- Then there’s pink alcohol. That sounds cute until you consider that there’s pretty sound evidence excessive alcohol consumption is linked to a higher risk of cancer. *Jaggar also pointed the finger at cosmetics, like lotions and foundations, which can contain chemicals she says have been linked to cancer.
Misguided Breast Cancer Awareness campaigns manipulate our fears and desire to help
- First, it preys on people's fears of cancer and desire to do good, encouraging them to buy things to "raise awareness" or "find a cure." These same things are often laden with chemicals or hormones that can cause cancer in the first place.
- Secondly, raising money for "breast cancer awareness" is absurd at this point. The people who are not aware of breast cancer are our most vulnerable populations: poor, uneducated women who don't speak English. Where are the ads that help them?
- Thirdly, we're no closer to the cure now than we were when all this pink ribbon bullshit began. It's great to put money into research -- I will never argue with that. But the dollars that pour in from Breast Cancer Awareness month aren't awarded in any coordinated, scientific way.
To be fair, there are a handful of Pink campaigns that are genuine and impactful. Here's how to make sure you are not Pink-washed.
- When handled responsibly, pink ribbon products can benefit everyone involved -- the company gets good PR, the consumer gets to feel that they've helped in some small way, and worthy breast cancer organizations get much-needed funds.
- 1. Does any money from this purchase go to support breast cancer programs? How much? 2. What organization will get the money? What will they do with the funds, and how do these programs turn the tide of the breast cancer epidemic?
- 3. Is there a “cap” on the amount the company will donate? Has this maximum donation already been met? Can you tell?
- 4. Does this purchase put you or someone you love at risk for exposure to toxins linked to breastcancer? What is the company doing to ensure that its products are not contributing to the breastcancer epidemic?
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